So I'm going to blame this on crazycase. His post of the sickle mower got me thinking about it again . I really don't need to start another project, but that's my problem.
My father has a Allis Chalmers/Simplicity 4' sickle mower in my barn. Hasn't used it in years, but it works pretty well.
Took a hard look at it and I think I can make a new mount for it and power it with a hydraulic motor. There's only a single pivot pin that fastens it to the mount. It could be switched back to the Simplicity easily.
So the wheels are turning.
Any thoughts?
Tim
deck's on, blades sharp, let's go it's time to mow
Tim
I like what your thinking and it will make a great project to follow here
I've got a ditch across the front of my place it has 4' or 5 ' foot of slope
Kind of scary with the Onan motor big wheel units don't want to limit the oil for that long of time
on the slope, the 444bf with the Kohler did it easily for years but the more powerful Onan's are a beast on longer grass and the ways things have been around here the grass try's, is winning mostly
I like the idea. I've had it in the back of my mind for some time actually. While we've kinda worked on eliminating a lot of the areas that would be nice to have one, there are still a few. Somewhere in the barn is a small sickle from a Bolens 2 wheel machine. That's one possibility. The other was rigging a 20, or 22" regular mower on to the boom of the backhoe, then slinging some weight out the other side.
Years ago at work I got to use a JD MT with sickle mower. It worked great for the first mowing (snow packed dead grass), but the cut grass was left in place and would plug up the sickle in later runs . I ran into the same issue with a Jari mower I bought But they do look cool They do work if you pick up the grass and use it for mulch, hopefully be for it goes to seed Or feed it to the neighbours live stock, a couple lawn carts of grass in the feeder bunks goes over well
I have a few areas we like to knock down once or twice a year to keep it from brushing in. I have an old horse drawn, ground driven mower I use now. It's more than the Ingy can handle except on the flat. The New Holland handles it but it's still a pain, and would be better sold to the Amish or a lawn ornament.
A hydra cutter would be nice, but..........
So I would have use for getting it going, it always worked good on the little Allis. Tim
deck's on, blades sharp, let's go it's time to mow
Got few minutes to bring the sickle mower up to the machine shed and lay it under the tractor to start figuring out the mounting.
Like the mid mount for visibility, but thinking putting it on the 3pt may be easier and offer more height flexibility. Have seen it done both ways.
Gotta figure out a hydraulic motor too. Thinking a low speed like a tiller motor.
deck's on, blades sharp, let's go it's time to mow
It was mid mounted on the Simplicity, made it easy to see. I agree, it's fun to see the grass and weeds fall.
I had thought about making a bracket to adapt to the Simplicity bracket, but the Ingy is so much bigger/wider it comes half way to the center.
I should be able to weld up some frame work with a plate on top. Then set up the mounts the same as the mower deck, and use my existing mower mounts. Then mount the hydraulic motor on top of the plate.
deck's on, blades sharp, let's go it's time to mow
His post of the sickle mower got me thinking about it again 
. I really don't need to start another project, but that's my problem. 
and I think I can make a new mount for it and power it with a hydraulic motor. There's only a single pivot pin that fastens it to the mount. It could be switched back to the Simplicity easily. 
deck's on, blades sharp, let's go it's time to mow 
. I ran into the same issue with a Jari mower I bought 
But they do look cool 
They do work if you pick up the grass and use it for mulch, hopefully be for it goes to seed 
Tim
